The iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge will be illuminated with NRL images this week as part of the NRL Telstra Premiership 2019 Grand Final celebrations.
Through a partnership between the NRL and Destination NSW, images of Grand Final Players and NRL stars will be projected onto the famous Sydney Harbour Bridge pylons between now and next Monday night, October 7.
"This is something we have never done before over the entire week and it will ensure that Sydney is transformed into a celebration of Grand Final Week," NRL CEO Todd Greenberg said.
"We will have iconic images from the 2019 season projected onto the Bridge pylons over eight straight nights, from the emergence of Maika Sivo, to the historic appointment of our first female on-field referee Belinda Sharpe, to Cameron Smith's 400th game, as well as an acknowledgement to some of our retiring stars.
"We will see some of the great moments of the week, including the release of the men's and women's Grand Final teams on Tuesday as well as the Dally M awards on Wednesday, projected onto the Bridge.
"Our Grand Final is not just about the games on Sunday. It is about the celebrations of those games during the week, the events of the week, and ensuring as many people as possible are part of them."
Mr Greenberg and NSW Minister for Tourism Stuart Ayres will launch the projections on the Harbour Bridge this evening, looking ahead to a week of colour ahead of the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final, on Sunday, October 6 at ANZ Stadium.
"The NRL Grand Final is so much more than one game on one evening," Minister Ayres said.
"It takes months of hard work, decades of tradition and a week of anticipation before this year's champions can fight for the Provan-Summons trophy at ANZ Stadium on Sunday.
"It's always incredible to see Sydney swarming with enthusiastic NRL fans, many who are visitors, wearing their colours proudly and enjoying the icons of the Harbour City as much as their beloved icons on the field."
Mr Greenberg said this year's Grand Final Week aimed to transform Sydney into a festival.
He added more than 100 players would be part of the first NRL Fan Fest over three days from Wednesday to Friday this week at Martin Place.
The NRL Fan Fest, which will run from Wednesday, October 2 until Friday, October 4, will feature an Immersion Zone which allows fans to dive for a try, play video games and try out the NRL's new school holiday program League Stars, a Family Zone, and a range of other activities for families and rugby league fans.
The two NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final teams will be presented on stage at NRL Fan Fest on Thursday, October 3 at 12.30pm, while the Holden Women's Premiership Grand Final Teams will be presented on stage on Friday, October 4 at 12.15pm.
Players from every NRL Club will be at NRL Fan Fest over the three days. Former NBA star Paul Pierce will appear alongside NRL legend Johnathan Thurston on Friday morning at NRL Fan Fest.
Tickets for the NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final 2019 are still on sale via nrl.com/tickets.
The NRL Telstra Premiership Grand Final 2019 is supported by the NSW Government, through its tourism and major events agency Destination NSW.
